Over the top. That’s my takeaway from this year’s big game. What happened on the field wasn’t what the NFL was hoping for, but FOX was happy. As they should be, selling 30 seconds of time for $8 million.
Advertisers know the investment is huge for the brands they serve. And they didn’t take it for granted. Because of this, they pull out all the stops. Celebrities, production value and excellent story telling were on full display. What our industry does best wasn’t a disappointment.
So, what did I think? Who stood out? Who shrunk during the big moment? Let’s take a look.
Tubi. The flesh hat boy. Weird. Off-putting. Yes and yes, but also memorable. It may not be for everyone, but I love the risk taking. I also enjoyed how this played out over a few commercial breaks. It helps that FOX owns Tubi.
Liquid Death. A brand known for a great tone and voice delivered big in their first Super Bowl ad. Loved how they took what makes Liquid Death unique (the packaging looks like a beer) and exaggerated it. After all, it’s just water.
Nike. It’s been a few since Nike had something run during the Super Bowl. Well, they made the most of it. There were celebrities and the production value and editing were top notch. The music took it over the top. “You can’t win, so win.” So nice to see amazing writing carry a spot.
Lays. Any time a Super Bowl ad focuses on story instead of celebrity, I’m happy. I loved the little girl raising her own potatoes to help with the family farm.
Dunkin. Building off last year’s big winner, Dunkin got the band back together for another go. This year didn’t hit the same fun note last year did. Too many famous faces took me away from the actual brand.
Michelob Ultra. Now this was a great use of celebrity. Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara as pickleball hustlers played well. Loved their expressions as they conquered team after team. But the big takeaway is that despite the celebrity, the product remained front and center. Connecting Ultra to pickleball and the active beer came through.
Coors Light. The big beer winner from last night. We’re all having a Case of the Monday’s. Using the sloths to exaggerate the feeling you have after a late Sunday night was genius. The technique and craft of commercial making was on full display. And the stickiness of ‘Case of Monday’ will carry over for weeks.
Jon Laughlin is co-chief creative officer for Laughlin Constable, a branding agency with offices in Milwaukee and Chicago.
